The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department's Office of Community Assessment and Planning has released the 2015 "Picture of Our Health" community health profile for Hamilton County.

The report is an update of the 2010 report and is a broad picture of the health of Hamilton County residents.

The data shows Hamilton County has made significant gains in some health areas, such as heart disease and infant mortality. Despite these gains, it is evident that the department still has some work to do in protecting the health of Hamilton County citizens.

“This report is a useful tool to evaluate the health of our community and to guide our efforts in targeting prevention initiatives, improving health care, and influencing public policy,” explains Health Department Administrator Becky Barnes.

The data compiled from multiple sources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Census Bureau, Tennessee Department of Health, and other related tracking sources.

As indicated in this info graphic taken from the report, significant improvement has been made in the areas of Teen Birth Rates, Stroke, and African-American Infant Mortality. Some worsening areas include deaths due to Accidental Poisonings, Accidental Falls, and Alzheimer’s disease. The report identifies notable health disparities in areas such as kidney disease, diabetes, homicide, and suicide. The behaviors and social determinants that contribute to death and disease, including risky youth behaviors, are also highlighted.

The Council partnered with the Health Department to prepare the report. The 2015 “Picture of Our Health” report is available online at health.hamiltontn.org